Memories of September 11th

September 11, 2001: That day started with my husband waking me up. I was my usual groggy self, moving slowly and until he told me a plane had hit the World Trade Center.  I jumped to my feet and ran to the television, yelling, "What?!  Jason works there!!"  As I stood motionless staring at the screen, a plane hit the second tower.  It was surreal, scary and I remember thinking, "Do we really have to go to work (school) today?  What's going on?  This is awful!"

As I dressed I couldn't stop thinking two thoughts: "Is Jason ok?" and "I left Seth in a very dangerous place!" (We flew to Boston to move into his college dorm, one week earlier.) 

Here's a side story: After moving Seth in, my mother drove me to the Boston airport and was allowed to go through security with me. The screener slowed on my bag and I laughed about how they were probably looking at the ratchet (a metal musical instrument that makes a loud, well racket.)  They didn't open my bag and I said to my mom that I was sure they didn't know what that was, but they still didn't bother to take it out and take a closer look.  Mom leaned in and pointed out that the job was a minimum wage position like a job at McDonalds.  We were smiling and joking about what a joke the security was.

So jump back to one week later and I'm standing in front of the 7th grade band.  I can't concentrate and I'm close to tears.  I walked outside my room and another teacher strolled by, "Are you ok Sharon?" is all it took to break into a sob.  "No, I'm not ok; can you step into my class?" 

After composing myself, I stood back in front of the young musicians.  When the principal came on the loud speaker and said that everyone would be going home, there was a youthful cheer.  Before they rushed to pack up their instruments and bolt out the door, I asked the students for quiet.  They respectfully calmed down as I asked them to be aware of the seriousness of what was going on.  I urged them to remember that people were losing their lives and that this was not a day for celebration.  They were so sweet as tears ran down my cheeks.  They didn't know why, but bless their hearts, they understood.

I went home to watch the news like everyone else.  I called home, I called Seth.  Friends, Christy and Sandy stopped by to help me pass the time as I waited for news.  We drank tea and talked which was so helpful.
 ____________________ Right in that space would be all the amazing stories and feelings my brother could share (if he would blog too!) 

My cliff note version is that his Morgan Stanley division was moved from a cool tower office just about a month before 9/11.  I remember him complaining about losing the great view and having to move to building 5.  On 9/11 he was in a meeting ironically called Stress Management when the call came to evacuate.  He couldn't go back for his brief case and personal items, including identification.  He went to the street and everyone was ducking under overhangs so they wouldn't be hit by flying objects.  He later shared walking with hundreds of people when the first building fell.  People were screaming and running away.  He was yelled at to run, but he said he could see that he couldn't out run the cloud - he said he thought that was it, that the cloud would consume him, knock him out, probably kill him.  When it covered him, he said he realized that it was all dust, there were no large chunks and he started to run like hell towards the East river so he could be clear of the dust and breathe.

Once clear of the towers, he tells of trying to figure out how to get out of Manhattan and back to NJ.  No one really knew and phones weren't working.  He was standing near a fellow looking back at the second tower.  He and this stranger were discussing how they weren't completely surprised that the first tower fell because everyone that worked in the district thought that it was never reinforced to full strength after it sustained the car bombing years before.  "But the second tower will hold . . . " and then they watched it fall. 

Jason eventually made his way to the ferries that were crowded to the max taking hundreds to NJ.  No one had to pay to get on, just get on!  While on that ferry he was offered a cell phone by another stranger who was able to get a signal.  He had just called his wife in Connecticut and he asked if someone might be waiting to hear from him.  That's when he was able to call home to our parents.  There were buses and trains all waiting to carry people to various towns in NJ, no charges on anything that day . . . probably the only day ever, but at least they didn't add insult to injury.

Nine years ago, my brother lost his wallet, but not his life. When he returned to work it was in a giant warehouse.  He credits whoever at Morgan Stanley made the decision to evacuate everyone right away with saving hundreds of lives.  M.S. didn't wait to get their people out even though the second tower had not been hit yet.  Unfortunately many others were told that it was safe to stay in the building as the fire was contained in tower one.

My brother doesn't work in NYC any longer and my son lives on the West coast.  Of course we'll never forget the images and horrendous feelings of that day, but sometimes instead I try to remember waiting at the base of the towers for Jason to come out and meet Seth and I for a special treat of NYC pizza a few years earlier. Seth and I gazed at the mighty towers and were in awe of how high they were; wondered how many people must work there and just enjoyed the lower Manhattan people watching.  Then Jason came striding out of the shadows of the twin towers apologizing for not having us come inside, but explaining that the security was "crazy, not worth the trouble."  We walked off towards The Village and pizza.  I wouldn't see the towers in person again.  It's still hard to believe even after all the coverage, all the pictures, all the tears and stories that this happened.